Cyrtandra widjajae Karton., Reinwardtia

Atkins, H. J. & Kartonegoro, A., 2021, A TAXONOMIC REVISION OF CYRTANDRA (GESNERIACEAE) IN SULAWESI, INDONESIA, Edinburgh Journal of Botany 78 (364), pp. 1-122 : 113-116

39. Cyrtandra widjajae Karton., Reinwardtia 14(1): 6 (2014).

– Type: Indonesia, Sulawesi, Southeast Sulawesi, North Kolaka, Mekongga Mts, Rante Angin District , Tinukari Village , 28 xi 2010, Widjaja et al. 9412 (holotype BO; isotypes DAV, E). Figure 57 .

Shrub to 2 m in height. Stems striate, sparsely hairy. Leaves opposite; one leaf of a pair markedly reduced; petiole 5–10 mm long, glabrous to sparsely hairy; blades of larger leaves 7–16 × 2–4 cm, narrow oblong to oblanceolate, base acute, slightly asymmetrical, margin subentire, apex long-acuminate; 8–14 pairs of lateral veins, curving upwards and running out to margin, subglabrous above, sparsely hairy below, more densely so on midrib and veins. Reduced leaves 5–10 × 5–7 mm, ovate to cordate, resembling the larger leaves in other respects. Inflorescences axillary, sessile, 1–4(–7)-flowered; bracts 2–4 × 0.5–1 mm, linear-lanceolate, hairy; pedicels 2–4 mm long, sparsely to densely hairy. Calyx narrow campanulate, white to pale green, 6–10 mm long, more or less evenly 5-lobed to slightly bilabiate with three upper lobes united into a shallowly triangular lip and two lower lobes mostly free, lobes linear, 3–7 mm long, sparsely hairy externally. Corolla white, 12–15 mm long, tube narrow in basal half, gradually widening to mouth in upper half, upper lobes 2–4 × 1–2 mm, lower and lateral lobes 3–5 × 1–2 mm, hairy externally, glandular hairy internally on the lobes, particularly towards the base and inside tube below the anthers. Stamens with filaments 3–5 mm long, attached 5–6 mm above base of corolla, glabrous; anthers 1–1.5 mm long, cohering at apices before dehiscence; staminodes very reduced, less than 1 mm long. Gynoecium 6–9 mm long; disc cupular with lobed margin, 1 mm long, glabrous externally; ovary densely eglandular hairy; style densely eglandular hairy becoming glandular towards stigma; stigma bilobed, 1–1.5 mm across. Fruits 8–13(–30) × 2–3(–5) mm, oblong and often curved, densely hairy, calyx not or only partially persistent, base of style persistent.

Distribution. North, Central and Southeast Sulawesi ( Figure 58 ).

Habitat and ecology. Lowland, hill and upland forest at an altitude of 300–1100 m.

Etymology. This species is named after Elizabeth A. Widjaja (BO), bamboo taxonomist and one of the collectors of the type of this species ( Kartonegoro & Potter, 2014).

Proposed IUCN conservation category. The EOO of Cyrtandra widjajae is 102,193 km 2 and the AOO is 44 km 2, based on a 2 × 2 km grid cell size ( Bachman et al., 2011). Some of the collection localities in the northern area of its distribution fall within the limits of the Bogani Nani Wartabone National Park, and the Central Sulawesi collection localities fall within Lore Lindu National Park (UNEP-WCMC & IUCN, 2019), therefore their populations should have some degree of protection. However, none of the southern populations from which collections were made are protected, and most of the collections are from the more threatened lowland and hill forest areas ( Cannon et al., 2007). A category of Least Concern (LC) is given for this species.

Additional specimens examined. INDONESIA. North Sulawesi. Bolaang Mongondow: Mount London, near Tunpa river , 31 xi 2016, Barber, Atkins, Kartonegoro & Kinho BAKK32 ( BO, E) ; Bogani Nani Wartabone National Park , 5 i 1996, Kato et al. 355 ( L) ; Dumoga Bone National Park, Edwards Camp , 7 iii 1985 , de Vogel & Vermuelen 6779 (E, L); Dumoga Bone National Park, Waterfalls Trail, 1 iv 1985, de Vogel & Vermeulen 6829 (E, K, L); Minahasa: 220 km W of Menado, 7 iii 1990, Burley et al. 3697 (A, CANB, K, L, SING); Pinamorongan, 30 i 1895, Koorders 17192β (BO, L); South Minahasa: Mt Lolombulan, 9 iv 1895, Koorders 17202β (BO).

Southeast Sulawesi. Kolaka: Mount Watuwila, along Uwitalambeh River, near Mount Pobindaa Omanu, west of Wutamole, 17 v 2008, Girmansyah 941 (BO, L); ibid., Tawanga, 25 iii 1929, Kjellberg 983 (BO); Upper Silui and Poraboa villages, 14 v 2008, Wiriadinata HW13311 (BO); North Kolaka: Along the trail to Mount Mekongga, 19 iii 2006, Girmansyah 596 (BO); Rante Angin subdistrict, Tinukari village, 1 vii 2011, Widjaja et al. EAW9727 (BO, E).

Cyrtandra aff. widjajae

Central Sulawesi. Sigi: Lore Lindu National Park, Sopu Valley , c. 80 km SSE of Palu, 27 iv 1979, van Balgooy 3037 ( A, L) ; Lore Lindu National Park, Sopu Valley , c. 80 km S of Palu., 29 iv 1979, Hennipman 5111 ( A, E, L, NSW) ; Lore Lindu National Park, Sopu Valley , 29 v 1979, Hennipman 5684 ( A, L) ; Lore Lindu National Park, Sopu Valley , end of logging road, 1 v 1979, de Joncheere 1134 ( E, L) ; Lore Lindu National Park, Sopu Valley, trail to Puncak Dingin , 14 v 1979, de Joncheere 1281 ( L) ; Lore Lindu National Park, Sopu Valley , c. 80 km SSE of Palu, 9 iv 1979, de Vogel 5097 ( L, NSW) ; Mt Roroka Timbu , w. slope, 11 v 1979, de Vogel 5278 ( BO, L, NSW) .

Cyrtandra widjajae is part of the group of six species that share the characters of strongly anisophyllous leaves; white or light-yellow corollas; and densely hairy calyces, corollas and fruits. The others in the group are Cyrtandra balgooyi , C. engleri , C. gambutensis , C. gorontaloensis and C. parvicalyx .

The species was first described from the under-collected Mekkongga region of Southeast Sulawesi ( Kartonegoro & Potter, 2014). Included here under Cyrtandra widjajae are a group of specimens from Minahasa and Bolaang Mongondonow in North Sulawesi. These collections were originally given the herbarium name ‘ Cyrtandra minahassae ’ by Koorders, and this name was included in a list of Cyrtandra species present on the island, but a description was never provided ( Koorders, 1898).

The two disjunct sets of collections, from the north and the southeast, differ slightly in calyx shape (the collections from the north having more evenly 5-lobed calyces) and in fruit length, although this character can vary significantly on stage of maturity. In addition to these two disjunct groups there are number of additional collections from the Lore Lindu area of Central Sulawesi, which differ in having more linear, scale-like reduced leaves (as opposed to cordate leaves), slightly smaller flowers and longer inflorescence bracts.

Further collections from throughout its distribution, but particularly from Central Sulawesi, are required to clarify the limits of Cyrtandra widjajae and the extent of variation. Further collections may necessitate separation of these populations into different taxa, but for now and based on the material available, they are kept together.

Figures

Figure 57. Cyrtandra widjajae. a, Side view of corolla; b, fruit. Photographs: D. Girmansyah. Specimen: Widjaja et al. 9412.

Figure 58. Distribution of Cyrtandra sulcata (black squares), C. tenuicarpa (black triangles) and C. widjajae (white circles).